TURBOCHARGER REPAIR WITH LASER CLADDING

Marine turbochargers are of great importance for the performance of main-propulsive or auxiliary engines in shipping and power generation installations. Despite the fact that their construction and operation is fairly simple, having just a turbine rotor that drives a compressor wheel, being the only moving assembly, they are prone to damages.

Often turbine shafts journals and sealing ring/strips wear out, turbine wheel blades getting damaged due to rubbing with the casing, compressor wheels also found very often with damaged vanes also due to rubbing and bearing housings wear out. Regardless the reason, damaged components need to be replaced or to be repaired safely and reliably as high rotating speeds and generating forces are pushing components to the limits. A turbine rotor with damaged journals and/or sealing ring is considered beyond repair by all makers. Same is valid if turbine blades or compressor wheel vanes are damaged. These are expensive spares and often are not found in stock, thus increasing down time and losses. The alternative is to repair by a safe, reliable and well proven technique, and that is the Laser Cladding.

Within our Laser Cladding cell we repair all types of turbochargers and their components. Turbine shafts journals and sealing rings are restored to original dimensions, by buildup followed by machining and grinding. The fact and advantage that Laser cladding achieves strong metallurgical bond, makes these repairs 100% reliable and safe, compare to old fashion coating techniques which are prone to flake off. Same is valid for the turbine blades and compressor vanes. Our system consisting of 9 axes in total can follow even the most complex trajectories of blades/vanes profiles and build up same with proper material. Final machining is carried out in multi axes CNC machines ensuring that final dimensions and profile are met to tolerances of less than 0.01mm. An extra benefit of Laser Cladding is its ability to buildup also components made of cast iron and thus turbocharger bearing housings and casings can also be restored.

The process in general is very fast, keeping down time to minimum and safe 100% due to metallurgical bond achieved. It is therefore a cost effective solution as it restores the service life and value of critical components, whose replacement by new would mean high expenses.

Restoring final blade profile of compressor wheel, after Laser build-up